The TE position going forward

Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
7,033
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto, Canada
It's safe to say that Bubba certainly isn't the most favourite player on Coach McCarthy's list right now, with him seeing reps with mostly 2nd and 3rd team Offense.

Donald Lee got the majority of the reps, and he has talent and some speed. McCarthy said that he was impressed with Lee, that Lee extended the vertical passing game, which was needed.

You also have TE Troy Humphrey and Zac Alcorn that have made the roster the last couple of seasons with "potential".

Coach McCarthy said the TE's have been working hard, and they are working on catching passes from the JUGS machine. That is interesting, because one of the knocks on Lee was that he dropped too many passes while in Miami.

Regardless, Lee is still a big unknown, and there was a reason he was the #3 TE for much of last season.

Anyone have a front runner on who is starting TE, and exactly how do you feel about our TE position as of right now?
 

pack_in_black

Cheesehead
Joined
Aug 16, 2006
Messages
1,876
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado Springs
It's gotta be Donald. Every team in our division runs a version of a Cover-2 defense.

I'll say it again:
Every team in our division runs a Cover-2.

Anyone who lives and breathes football knows that the greatest weaknesses of a Cover-2 are:

a.) Peyton Manning

b.) A speedy tight end to who can split the 2 safeties

c.) A consistent run game that wears down the speed guys and doesn't fumble

Since we don't have option a, I think that we'll try c and hope we don't need to attempt option b.

But, out of our available options, it seems like Lee is the fastest, MM likes his deep ability anyway, so in response to your original question, I'd say him.

Donald Lee is starter, who cares are #2 and #3, and Bubba rides pine. I don't think he'll get cut since The Pack obviously don't need any extra space in the cap.
 

retiredgrampa

Cheesehead
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
804
Reaction score
0
Location
phoenix AZ
It's about damned time the team did something positive about the TE position. Maybe the demotion of Bubba will re-light a dormant fire in him. I hope there is still life there. Competition has been needed for a long time.
 

pack_in_black

Cheesehead
Joined
Aug 16, 2006
Messages
1,876
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado Springs
It's about damned time the team did something positive about the TE position. Maybe the demotion of Bubba will re-light a dormant fire in him. I hope there is still life there. Competition has been needed for a long time.

What's needed is a guy who actually has some talent. I just won't let myself believe that that would be Bubba anymore. He did far too little last year.
 
OP
OP
A
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
7,033
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto, Canada
Yeah but PIB, does that mean Bubba has no talent?

He was a great red zone target for us, and I just don't know how he could stop being that when he is still in his prime.

I still think he has something to offer us, and him becoming the red zone threat for us would basically solve much of our red zone problems.

I'm still confused as to what exactly happened to him that made him so bad at the age where almost all players play their best football.
 

pack_in_black

Cheesehead
Joined
Aug 16, 2006
Messages
1,876
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado Springs
Naw, I think he has talent. I just don't think that he'll reach his potential.

The only basis for it is that I hoped for him all last season, believed in him because, like you said, there was no determinable reason for a decline, but he still let me down.

My best guess as to why he fell off is the injury in '05 somehow messed up his timing, confidence, or whatever intangibles it is that he lost, and he just hasn't been able to rediscover.

But I agree with grandpa. I hope that this demotion lights some fire under his ***. I'd love him to return to form, and maybe that's why the GB staff hasn't done really anthing to fill any holes at that position. They believe that there is no hole????
 
OP
OP
A
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
7,033
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto, Canada
Finally, Bubba speaks... and it doesn't exactly make a whole lot of sense.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy says no starting jobs were won or lost during the team's three-day minicamp over the weekend.

That's good news for Bubba Franks, who had to share a significant amount of practice time as the first-team tight end with Donald Lee.

After failing to catch a single touchdown during a disappointing 2006 season, Franks knows he will have to compete for playing time this year and says he's returning with a fresh attitude.

The veteran went home to Miami to clear his head in the offseason. After some introspection, he admits he was being selfish last year.

"I'm more of a team player now," Franks said. "I think last year, it got to the point where I was thinking about myself. I was selfish. It comes a time in a person's career where you think you're the only one out there. But I wasn't. This year, it's going to be totally different."

This year, Franks has resolved to put the team first.

"It's a clean slate," Franks said. "And I'm to the point in my career, after going home and thinking about it, I'm not going to have a problem with (anybody) upstairs or downstairs this year.
I'm about winning. Regardless of who catches the ball, who scores the points, I want to win a Super Bowl. And we haven't even been close since I've been here."

Franks said he went to the Chicago Bears-Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl in Miami as a fan, and the experience stoked his desire to win a championship.

"I was up there as a fan, watching, instead of being on the field," Franks said. "That was the first time I got to experience that, and I want that. I want that more than anything. More than anything. More than 10 touchdown catches."

Franks also says he got leaner in the offseason, cutting out "a lot of treats."

Such as?

"Oreos, Twinkies, Dunkin' Donuts, Krispie Kremes -- all the good stuff," Franks said.

McCarthy praised Franks for coming back in better shape. At the same time, McCarthy made it clear that there will be competition at tight end in training camp this year.

"We are adjusting some things as we move forward with the tight end position, and I think we have excellent competition," McCarthy said. "But Bubba Franks is a veteran football player, and we're expecting him to contribute to our football team."

McCarthy said Lee, an athletic 6-foot-4 tight end who signed with the Packers as a free agent before the 2005 season, showed his potential while working with the first team in minicamp.

"I think he really showed up in the vertical passing game, which we obviously need -- it generates big plays, particularly from the inside positions," McCarthy said.

The Packers need more scoring from their tight ends to help fix a red zone offense that was among the league's worst last season. McCarthy said he and the coaches have to do more to get the tight ends involved in the offense inside their opponents' 20. When that happens, the tight ends must produce.

"They will be given those opportunities, and we just need to increase the productivity of it," McCarthy said.

Franks used to be one of Brett Favre's favorite targets in the red zone, and Franks believes he can be that player again.

"I have to make my role change," Franks said. "If it doesn't change, it's because of me. But if I go out and practice and show everybody, 'Hey, I should be getting the ball,' in the red zone or wherever, that's on me. I feel like I'm going to prove that this minicamp, this training camp."


SOURCE

Did I miss something with Bubba? He was bad because he was "selfish" last year? WTF? :wtf:
 

pack_in_black

Cheesehead
Joined
Aug 16, 2006
Messages
1,876
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado Springs
all about da packers said:
Did I miss something with Bubba? He was bad because he was "selfish" last year? WTF? :wtf:

Get with the program, jeez. Don't you know the telltale signs of a selfish player? Dropping/fumbling redzone passes, committing holding penalties away from the play whenever a big run is made, and on and on......

Yeah, he was totally selfish by not being a team player and actually doing something with the ball besides putting it on the ground.

Alright, who am I kidding? His quotes just made no sense. This guy is an enigma. Wrapped in a mystery.



Yeah, he's actually that difficult to figure out. :thumbsup:
 

cheesey

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 25, 2005
Messages
1,000
Reaction score
3
Location
Wisconsin
I think he suffered from the "big contract" syndrome.
We see it happen alot. Get the big money, then become lazy.
Hopefully he can recover from this and EARN his check this year.
 

Tiger

Cheesehead
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Messages
1,090
Reaction score
0
Location
Ireland
i just get the feeling Bubba got demoralised last year by having to do so much pass blocking.
 

Packnic

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 29, 2006
Messages
2,454
Reaction score
6
Location
Salisbury, NC
i think its a mix of all the theories. he went to miami, so you know hes not very bright.

He had a new scheme to learn last year under a new coach. New responsibilities, new routes, just about new everything.
he was left out of a lot of passing routes to stay back and block.
add all that with a big contract, that sometimes breeds laziness and you have a talented guy that struggles.
He had to learn a lot of new stuff, hes not very smart and he may have gotten a little lackadaisical about it all.
Bubba didnt perform last year, and hes sweating his job right now.

I think he will be the starter come the preseason. hes got the experience, and the tools to play and i think standing and watching Lee take his snaps will just push him back into the lineup. Mostly i still believe that the coaches still think hes gonna be the number one TE, just trying to light a fire under him. i think we will keep Bubba, Lee, Alcorn, and Harris. and they will play in that order.
 

CaliforniaCheez

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Messages
2,486
Reaction score
0
Location
Citrus Heights CA
Watch for key words to describe the "new" TE "rotation".

I don't think Alcorn is being given enough credit for his progress.
Harris will have an easier time of making the team at Long Snapper.
Harris may be a practice squad guy this year.

Bubba is too expensive to cut this year but could very well be gone next year.

I thought all last year that Lee was the best tight end and that Martin (Tyrone Davis Jr.) should have been cut years ago.
 

digsthepack

Cheesehead
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,486
Reaction score
0
Personally, I think Alcorn is the sleeper in this bunch...a pleasant suprise in the waiting.
 

Tiger

Cheesehead
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Messages
1,090
Reaction score
0
Location
Ireland
I dont see Bubba's play last year as "lazy", i think he was just fed up by the fact that his number didnt get called enough to make catches as in the past. This probably just disheartened him and his confiedence in pass catching just died. He got the "jitters" just how a golfer would with his putter.
 

Lare

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
705
Reaction score
0
Location
Packwalking, WI
I honestly don't see any of the TEs on our roster as being legitimate receiving threats in the offense this season.

Serviceable, good blockers, short-yardage receivers with little run after the catch, yes. But pass receiving threats that can split the seam, stretch the field to leave crossing routes open for the WRs, or make opposing defenses account for them with a safety? Not hardly.
 

cheesey

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 25, 2005
Messages
1,000
Reaction score
3
Location
Wisconsin
I myself haven't seen enough of the other TE's in the group to make a judgement of how bad, or good they might be.
It HAS to be better then last year.
But of course they have to USE the TE in order for them to make a splash on the field. I don't think they had much faith in who they had last year in order to do so.
 

kmac

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
849
Reaction score
0
Location
Milwaukee
pack_in_black said:
But, out of our available options, it seems like Lee is the fastest, MM likes his deep ability anyway, so in response to your original question, I'd say him.
Actually, Zac Alcorn is very fast, but Lee is the 2nd fastest and most complete TE.
 

cheesey

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 25, 2005
Messages
1,000
Reaction score
3
Location
Wisconsin
That would help SO much to have 2 TE's that can make things happen. When we had Chumura and Jackson, look how that opened up the offense.
The other teams D couldn't take away ALL the weapons. That could make it a REAL fun season for us fans if these guys are decent.
 

retiredgrampa

Cheesehead
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
804
Reaction score
0
Location
phoenix AZ
I just can't understand why guys like Lee and Alcorn are taking so long to step up. They've had plenty of chances with Bubba looking so bad. Either the coaching at that position is poor or their talent just isn't there. It could be a combination of both. In any event, Lee is being handed his big chance now and he'd damned sure better grab it with both hands. Frankly, I'm not at all sure this group could make it with any other team.
 

cheesey

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 25, 2005
Messages
1,000
Reaction score
3
Location
Wisconsin
I just can't understand why guys like Lee and Alcorn are taking so long to step up. They've had plenty of chances with Bubba looking so bad. Either the coaching at that position is poor or their talent just isn't there. It could be a combination of both. In any event, Lee is being handed his big chance now and he'd damned sure better grab it with both hands. Frankly, I'm not at all sure this group could make it with any other team.
It's true......they have the chance, if they don't make the best of it it's their own fault.
 

Latest posts

Top